The present invention relates to automatic barrier movement operators.
Barrier movement systems are known in the art and generally comprise a motor for moving the barrier in response to a controller which determines necessary actions by responding to barrier travel limits, safety apparatus and user command input signals. With such known systems the travel limit determining apparatus is maintained at the controller and represents the controller's view of the barrier. Should the barrier be disconnected from the controller and moved, the barrier position may become unknown leading to lack of ability to automatically control the barrier.
Similarly, known systems may respond to a number of safety input devices, such as edge contact sensors or optical obstruction detectors, which is limited by the number of input ports provided for such. This is particularly so in commercial door operators or gate operators where the eventual equipping of the system depends on an unpredictable environment and the needs of the users and installers of such devices. Such a problem is quite complex for gate operators where the number of combinations of optical detectors and edge detectors is large and depends on factors unknown at the time the system is manufactured.
Known systems include the ability to optionally respond to wireless communications. Such systems typically require separate decoders for each wireless transmitter or type of transmitter resulting in undue complexity and cost. Also known systems typically start and stop barrier movement with a linear increase and decrease of power applied to a driving motor. Such systems do not pay continuing attention to barrier position and may result in efficient barrier movement or a barrier which moves too slowly or even stops before a destination limit of travel.